When physical trainers talk about exercising, they often allude to a person’s “core strength” and how important that is to achieving total fitness. The assumption is that core strength is a primary requirement to any level of overall strength or fitness. The core they are talking about is that section of your body from the groin to the shoulders. But how is it different from arm or leg strength? And why does it matter so much? This article will give you the answers and set you on the right exercise path to building the core strength you need.

The main problem facing us is that the human body was not initially designed to stand upright. The chest and stomach were slung beneath the backbone, which was supported like a bridge on both the legs and arms, as are the great apes to this day. Taking an upright stance meant balancing all your insides and loosely tied ribs on a stack of little bones called vertebrae, the spine. Imagine stacking up a pile of tin cans and then trying to hang dead weights on one side of the column. Without support in the form of slings and counter-balancing guys, the structure has no inner strength and would soon topple. Those guys and slings are the web of lower back and intercostal rib muscles and, most importantly, the abdominals. The abdominals keep your insides in place and must be strong, because, not only are their anchor points far apart in the pelvis and chest, they also twist and shift position with every move. That is why abdominals are so prone to injury and strain. To avoid this, they must be kept strong. They are the core of core strength.

Core Strength Test

You may believe your core body strength is quite adequate and just want to get on with doing the exercises you know. And, perhaps it is, but it might be worthwhile to try this test, devised by sports’ coach, Brian Mackenzie (brianmac.co.uk)––just to be sure. All you need to take this test is a mat and a watch.

To conduct the test:

- Put the watch on the ground where you can easily see it.

- Assume the basic press up position (elbows on the ground).

- Hold this position for 60 seconds.

- Lift your right arm off the ground.

- Hold this position for 15 seconds.

- Return your right arm to the ground and lift the left arm off the ground.

- Hold this position for 15 seconds.

- Return your left arm to the ground and lift the right leg off the ground.

- Hold this position for 15 seconds.

- Return your right leg to the ground and lift the left leg off the ground.

- Hold this position for 15 seconds.

- Lift your left leg and right arm off the ground.

- Hold this position for 15 seconds.

- Return you left leg and right arm to the ground.

- Lift your right leg and left arm off the ground.

- Hold this position for 15 seconds.

- Return to the basic press up position (elbows on the ground).

- Hold this position for 30 seconds.

If you completed this test, you have good core strength. If not, and if your torso moved unnecessarily, wasting energy, repeat this test three or four times a week until you can finish it. You may find that you require some core strength training. There are a great number of exercises that can be done with and without equipment. The equipment ranges from simple to complex. There’s the cost-effective standard exercise ball, or you can treat yourself to an entire Pilates home studio. You can also get balance trainers, different types of wobble boards, and resistance bands that can give a whole body workout. But, certainly, to start, there are plenty of core body strength exercises that need nothing but a mat, motivation and interest. Brian Mackenzie suggests many. His most basic core strength workout is one that you can start on right now.

Basic Core Strength Training

- Start by lying on your back with knees bent.

- Your lumbar spine should be neither arched up nor flattened against the floor, but aligned normally with a small gap between the floor and your back. This is the "neutral" lumbar position you should learn to achieve.

- Breathe in deeply and relax all your stomach muscles.

- Breathe out and, as you do so, draw your lower abdomen inwards as if your belly button is going back towards the floor. Hold the contraction for 10 seconds and stay relaxed, allowing yourself to breathe in and out as you hold the tension in your lower stomach area.

- Repeat five to 10 times.

It is vital that you perform this abdominal hollowing exercise correctly and that you bear the following points in mind:

- Do not let the whole stomach tense up or your upper abdominals bulge outwards.

- Do not brace too hard; just a gentle contraction is enough. Remember it is endurance not maximum strength that you are trying to improve.

- Do not tilt your pelvis nor flatten your back, as this means that you have lost the neutral position you are trying to learn to stabilize.

- Do not hold your breath, as this means you are not relaxed. You must learn to breathe normally and maintain the co-contraction.

- Use your fingers for bio-feedback on either side of your lower abdomen to feel the tension in the muscle.

Once you have mastered the abdominal hollowing lying on your back, practice it lying on your front, four-point kneeling, and sitting and standing. In each position, get your lumbar spine into neutral before you perform the hollowing movement.

This is just a start to building core strength. There are many more relevant exercises that you can do in your own home without any particular equipment. After you have mastered the use of abdominals in various positions, which should take a month or more, you can move on to core stability exercises that involve the oblique, lumbar and gluteal muscles in maintaining the spine in a stable neutral position.

These will include exercises from simple leg lifts and leaning motions, to more demanding lunges and press-ups. The aim is to make sure that your body can cope with any sort of dynamic movement from lifting to running.

The best thing is to get the basics down first. You can start with the above information and then look for a complete core strength regimen. Google have plenty to offer. Core strength is important, whether you are an athlete or just wanting to be fit enough so that you can lift objects without worrying about straining something. It is very easy to let back muscles and stomach muscles lose their strength when, more often than not, the modern life-style we enjoy requires little in the way of physical exertion. The muscles in your torso form the base for your arms and legs. Their flexibility relies on that strength. If it is lacking, your entire body will suffer and you may be at greater risk of strain or injury. That is why maintaining core strength does matter.

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